Amman, Sept. 7 (Petra) — A scientific conference entitled “Stability
in the Arab World 2026-2035: Trends and Influencing Factors” opened
in Amman on Monday, bringing together former prime ministers and
ministers, diplomats, academics, and researchers from several Arab
countries.

Organized by the Middle East Studies Center-Jordan, the conference
aims to examine the state of stability across the Arab world
according to scientific criteria and develop a realistic map by
monitoring and analyzing its indicators.

It also seeks to study the key factors underpinning the preservation
and achievement of political, economic, social, security, and
geographical stability through cooperation among governments, peoples
and other influential actors.

The conference will further examine major internal challenges,
external threats, opportunities, and drivers affecting stability, and
ways to protect it from future risks, to develop an Arab vision and
strategy for achieving lasting and cohesive stability across Arab
countries.

Former prime minister Adnan Badran said the Arab world was undergoing
a rapid period of political, economic, social, technological, and
environmental transformation.

He said the concept of strategic security and stability was no longer
limited to protecting borders and confronting threats but had come to
encompass the ability of states and societies to withstand
challenges, adapt, and protect national and pan-Arab interests.

Badran said Arab stability over the coming decade should be built on
an integrated system that includes political and institutional
stability based on the rule of law and accountability, economic
security capable of creating jobs and transitioning towards a
knowledge economy, as well as science, technology, and artificial
intelligence.

Other key elements include social cohesion, water, food,
environmental, climate, and energy security, as well as regional and
strategic security, he said.

He called for the development of a new Arab concept of comprehensive
security combining state strength, social cohesion, resource
security, and independence in decision-making.

“The real challenge through 2035 is not only to confront threats but
also to build an Arab capacity to anticipate change and turn it into
opportunity,” Badran said, calling for a shift from a culture of
reaction to one of anticipation and from individual Arab action to
greater integration.

Former Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa said the future of
the Middle East required a clear Arab vision of the nature of the
emerging regional order and called for addressing the region’s issues
objectively and candidly.

The region was undergoing rapid and comprehensive change, requiring a
redefinition of the concepts of security, peace, stability, and
regional relations, he said, while rejecting the continuation of
attacks on Palestinian territories and Arab countries.

Syrian political sociologist and thinker Burhan Ghalioun said
rebuilding joint Arab action had become “a matter of destiny” and an
essential condition for achieving political, economic, and security
stability in the region.

He called for drawing on the European experience to build a network
of Arab economic, defense, and technological interests covering
energy, defense industries, scientific research, technology, and
trade.

Confronting regional challenges and achieving stability required
institutional Arab cooperation that preserved the sovereignty and
identities of individual states without proposing a project to
abolish borders or states, Ghalioun said.

Mohammad Abu Hammour, chairman of the board of trustees of the Middle
East Studies Center, said Arab stability was a central issue for
strengthening sovereignty and leadership and protecting national and
pan-Arab interests.

Achieving stability required a comprehensive vision, national and
Arab integration, and dialogue among governments, elites, and
political, social, and intellectual currents, he said.

National unity and strong internal fronts were the foundation of a
strong Arab world capable of confronting external pressures, Abu
Hammour added.

He said economic and political reform could create opportunities for
young people and help curb unrest, stressing the role of universities
and research centers in analyzing challenges and proposing policies
that support stability and decision-making.

Center Director Bayan Al-Omari said the conference aimed to assess
the reality of Arab stability and anticipate its future in order to
build preparedness for the challenges ahead.

Stability was a comprehensive concept encompassing political,
economic, social, security, cultural, and intellectual dimensions, he
said, adding that the coming period required a practical Arab vision
that strengthened sources of power, addressed challenges, and opened
future prospects for Arab youth to play a leading role and enhance
the Arab world’s regional and international standing.

The two-day conference will feature six consecutive scientific
sessions.

The first session will discuss the concept of stability, its areas,
and its importance for comprehensive development, as well as
scientific criteria for measuring it, with researchers from Iraq,
Algeria, and Jordan.

The second session will examine existing threats and challenges to
stability in the Arab world between 2015 and 2025, with participants
from Jordan, Iraq, and Sudan, while the third will address
opportunities, drivers, and dynamics affecting stability during the
same period, with participants from Jordan, Tunisia, and Syria.

The fourth session, scheduled for Tuesday, will examine expected
threats and challenges to stability in the Arab world over the coming
decade, from 2026 to 2035, with participants from Jordan and Morocco.

The fifth session will explore expected opportunities, drivers, and
dynamics for achieving stability during the same decade, with
participants from Morocco, Palestine, and Yemen.

The conference will conclude with a sixth session presenting an Arab
vision for preserving stability and confronting future threats and
challenges over the next decade, with participants from Algeria,
Jordan, Libya, and Iraq, followed by closing remarks and
recommendations.

//Petra// AF